Rev. Rodney Ballinger Shields

Rev. Rodney Ballinger Shields was born on Feb. 15, 1940 in Nampa, Idaho to Galen Wayne and Mildred Beatrice (Ballinger) Shields.

He attended elementary school in Marsing, Idaho where he lived with his parents before moving to Boise, Idaho in the fall of 1950. He graduated from Boise High School in 1958. Upon graduation, he married his sweetheart, Marylee Kathyrn White, in Emmett, Idaho on June 14, 1958. They moved in Aug. 1958 to Rock Island, Illinois to be in the first college class of Bible Missionary Institute. Upon graduation, he became the assistant pastor in Jamestown, North Dakota. As an elder in the Bible Missionary Church, he served faithfully as pastor of churches in West Virginia, Ohio, Washington, California, Iowa, Illinois, Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas. In 1985 he and his wife began Foreign Mission service in the Philippians, Guyana South America, St. Vincent, Barbados, West Indies, and Papua New Guinea, serving until 1994. They returned to the USA to spend the rest of their ministry pastoring churches until his passing into the courts of Heaven. He was a man of faithfulness and loved the many to whom he ministered in his pastoring and Foreign Mission labors. He was constantly challenging his children and grandchildren to serve God fervently, even just several hours before his death.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marylee K. Shields; five children, Kathryn Elaine Zink, Bryan Rodney Shields (Linda), Gregory Wayne Shields (Rachel), Douglas Alan Shields (Ramona) and Christine Renee McCasland (Roger); thirteen grandchildren, Tamika, Bryan II, Gregory, Elizabeth, Abraham, Isaac, Lynnette, Douglas II, Charla, Amanda, Renee, Linda, Melissa and step grandchildren Hailey and Alex; twenty three great grandchildren; a sister, Jeannette Searls; two nephews; two nieces; and a brother-in-law Dwain White.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Sike; his great grandson Wesley; and several angel great grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be private family only at Grace Chapel in Littlefield. The family wishes to thank the doctors and nursing staff of Covenant Hospital on 10 South for their exceptional and compassionate care of their loved one in his last days with them. Arrangements are under the personal care of Hillcrest Funeral Home in Littlefield.